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In The Edith Wharton Library, we open the drawing-room doors of another age and read the novels, tales, and travels in which society’s bright surfaces so often betray a darker design. Here are marriages arranged like treaties, fortunes that tremble at a whisper, and hearts that learn - too late - the cost of propriety.
Each episode offers a full-length chapter reading, patiently and plainly delivered, for listeners who prefer their drama civilized, their comedy edged, and their ghosts the sort that appear most often in daylight.
Each episode offers a full-length chapter reading, patiently and plainly delivered, for listeners who prefer their drama civilized, their comedy edged, and their ghosts the sort that appear most often in daylight.
75 Episodes
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In which Miss Lily Bart, momentarily stranded in the teeming heart of New York, encounters the thoughtful Lawrence Selden and accepts his invitation to tea, revealing a delicate dance of social expectations and private yearnings beneath her vivacious exterior. Their shared conversation, woven with gentle irony and unspoken hopes, paints a portrait of a young woman caught between the demands of society and the elusive promise of personal freedom.
In which Miss Lily Bart navigates the delicate intricacies of social obligation and personal impulse during a train journey, deftly engaging the shy and innocent Mr. Percy Gryce in conversation while warding off the uneasy attentions of Mr. Simon Rosedale. Through subtle artifice and a keen understanding of human foibles, she orchestrates a charming if cautious reprieve from the pressing threats of her world, only to be interrupted by the voluble arrival of Mrs. George Dorset.
In which Lily Bart confronts the alluring yet exacting world of high society, acutely aware of the precarious balance between appearance and dire financial constraints that shape her existence. Her reflections proceed through memories of family decline and maternal ambitions, revealing a young woman caught between the crushing demands of social expectation and the yearning for authentic fulfilment.
In which Miss Bart, caught between the familiar duties of societal drudgery and the tantalising promise of genteel security, navigates the subtle nuances and whispered manoeuvres of Bellomont’s social tableau. Amidst the genteel afternoon and delicate alliances, a surprising visitor appears to unsettle the carefully crafted calm.
In which the observance of Sunday at Bellomont is marked less by devout attendance than by the social rituals and restless moods of its inhabitants, as Miss Bart grapples with the disquietings of her world and the unexpected presence of Lawrence Selden. Against a backdrop of genteel frivolity and unspoken yearnings, she finds herself drawn into a delicate interplay of companionship and rivalry, casting a wistful glance at the constraints and freedoms that define her sphere.
In which a perfect autumn afternoon sets the scene for Lily Bart and Selden’s thoughtful walk, during which they share candid reflections on freedom, ambition, and the nature of success amid the picturesque countryside. Their conversation reveals the delicate tensions between societal expectations and personal desires, coloured by a mutual recognition of unspoken emotions that neither fully dares to claim.
In which the tangled social expectations and private anxieties of Miss Bart are laid bare through candid confidences and sharp observations among her acquaintance, revealing the delicate burdens of reputation, finance, and companionship in their sheltered world. Amidst these nuanced conversations and genteel confrontations, she contemplates a retreat to simplicity while cautiously entertaining an offer of financial assistance that promises a brief reprieve from her troubles.
In which Lily Bart navigates the sparkling yet intricate social scene of a prominent wedding, her fortunes momentarily lifted by an unexpected financial gain and the presence of potential suitors, while she quietly observes the strategic marriages and alliances unfolding around her. Amidst the glittering display of society’s rituals, she experiences a mingling of hope, envy, and restrained bitterness that underscore the delicate negotiations of status and affection in her world.
In which Miss Bart returns to the austere and painstakingly kept household of her aunt Mrs. Peniston, encountering the mundane tedium and undercurrents of society’s whispered scandals. She is unexpectedly confronted by a char-woman bearing a parcel of torn letters connected to a delicate intrigue, forcing Lily to navigate a troubling negotiation that subtly threatens to entangle those she knows.
In which Miss Bart, temporarily buoyed by newfound independence and a brief flirtation with generosity, navigates the social intricacies of winter society with a keen eye for appearance and advantage. Encounters with persistent suitors and uneasy invitations reveal the delicate dance of alliances and resentments underlying the polished surface of her world.
In which the bustling onset of the social season is observed with a keen but detached eye, revealing the subtle undercurrents of fortune, fashion, and whispered scandal among New York’s elite. Amidst the glittering façades, intimations of impropriety and strained relations unfold quietly, as misunderstandings and moral judgments weave through the fabric of family and society.
In which Miss Bart navigates the precarious social currents of the season, finding both solace and trial in artistic display and the company of varied acquaintances, while grappling with the subtle coldness and whispered judgments of her world. Amidst the shimmering tableaux vivants and splendid entertainments, a moment of intimate connection unfolds between her and Lawrence Selden, revealing a delicate interplay of hope and restraint beneath the glittering surface of society.
In which Lily awakes to letters from acquaintances, prompting reflections on complicated social entanglements and the precariousness of her position amongst them. She later encounters an unsettling confrontation at the Trenors’, revealing the undercurrents of tension and the fragile veneer of polite society that surrounds her.
In which Gerty Farish, buoyed by the kindness shared with Lawrence Selden and the curious affection they both hold for Lily Bart, finds herself caught between the warmth of friendship and the pangs of jealousy in the small, modest confines of her life. The narrative softly unfolds in a night of confessions and tender revelations, as Lily seeks sanctuary from her own restless despair, revealing the aching human frailty that shadows her outward beauty.
In which Lily wakes to the stark reality of her precarious circumstances and, after a tense reckoning with her aunt over debts incurred through society’s costly demands and card-playing, finds herself grappling with the pressing need for help and the painful considerations of pride and dependence. As hopes of solace from Lawrence Selden fade with his unexpected departure, she faces an uneasy proposal from Rosedale and a sudden invitation that promises a change in her fortunes, fraught with unspoken complexities.
In which the restless glamour of Monte Carlo provides a vivid backdrop for Mr. Selden’s reflective encounter with high society, where introductions and social manoeuvres unfold amid a dazzling tableau of leisure and intrigue. Through whispered confidences and momentary glimpses, the delicate complexities of youthful ambition and guarded self-possession emerge, framed by the shimmering Mediterranean light and the muted tensions of a closing season.
In which Miss Bart finds herself adrift in the sparkling Riviera world, navigating delicate social intrigues and the shifting loyalties of her companions amidst the vivid pleasures and underlying tensions of the Casino and the yacht. As she encounters restless hearts and veiled resentments, a sudden and painful confrontation with George Dorset lays bare troubles that ripple beneath the glittering surface, revealing the fragile bonds tethering these discontented souls.
In which the intricate tensions between the Dorsets come to a delicate and uneasy head under the watchful eyes of their acquaintances, while Miss Bart finds herself caught in the shifting currents of loyalty and peril. Lawrence Selden, with a mixture of professional concern and personal apprehension, navigates the fragile social labyrinth, seeking to shield the innocent and unravel the obscure motives that tether the players to their fates.
In which Lily Bart confronts the sombre ritual of her aunt’s will-reading, only to find that the anticipated inheritance has been bequeathed elsewhere, leaving her isolated amidst the drawing-room shadows. Seeking solace and counsel from her steadfast friend Gerty Farish, she contemplates the delicate and unyielding social labyrinth before her, as well as the uncertain patience demanded by both the law and her erstwhile acquaintances.
In which Miss Lily Bart, finding herself adrift from her former social sphere, accepts an invitation to join the lively but less refined Gormer circle, where she contemplates the uneasy balance between pride and expediency amidst new acquaintances and past intimacies. She weighs the subtle complexities of friendship, influence, and matrimonial prospects with a sober eye, while the rhythms of society’s unceasing spectacle carry her along its uncertain currents.
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